Clam Cookies & Airbrushing Sanding Sugar

Did you Know You Can Airbrush Sanding Sugar? Learn how with this Clam Cookie Tutorial | The Bearfoot Baker

I feel kinda clammy today. Not really but, I did make some clam cookies to show you that you can airbrush sanding sugar. I had my good friend Johnna aka Polka-dot Zebra over so we could play with some cookies. It was way back when we first bought our airbrush guns. We sprayed every thing we could get our hands on and one of those things was a heart that had sanding sugar on it

Simple-Clam-Cookies-thebearfootbaker.comIt led to these clam cookies. I think it gives the a little something special. After all, they have pearls in their mouth so why not a little bling on their shells. Notice the small purple clam. It wasn’t airbrushed. Look at the large purple clam and the depth the airbrushing gives the shell. It is a very simple way to make your cookies pop.

Supplies for Clam Cookies:

Candy Corn Cookie Cutter
Candy Beads
Thick White Icing
Royal Icing Eyes
#2 &#10 Tips
Bamboo Forks
15 Second Icing in these colors:

  • Pink
  • Purple
  • Blue
  • Yellow

Sanding sugar to match your icing or colors you just like.

Clam Cookies by www.thebearfootbaker.comBegin by outlining the top cookie of your clam cookies. Each clam requires 2 cookies. One for the top and one for the mouth.
Next, flood every other section and sprinkle with sanding sugar while the icing is wet. Shake off the remaining sugar.
Then, flood the remaining sections and sprinkle sanding sugar. Shake off the remaining sugar and let the cookie dry completely.

Clam Cookies www.thebearfootbaker.comWith your airbrush gun set on medium and the airbrush gun about a half and inch from the cookie, spray the creases and the edges.

Look at the difference. I will warn you that some of the sanding sugar will let go of the cookie but, if you use and airbrush gun station like this one, it will be contained for an easy clean up.

Easy Clam Cookies thebearfootbaker.comIf you are feeling really creative,  use different colors of icing underneath the sanding sugar. It will give your clams and entirely unique look.Clam Cookies with thebearfootbaker.comUse the second cookie for the mouth. Flood and pipe with pink icing. When it dries, airbrush the edges with pink.

Once it dries, set up the cookies for assembly. I used these bamboo forks I got from World Market. They slide onto the bakers rack and hold the mouth of the cookie open while it dried. I had to use a cookie under the skewers to hold them in place.

Glue the cookies together in the back of the cookie with the thick pink icing. I had to place a bowl behind them to keep them from sliding. Let them dry completely.

Clam Cookies The Bearfoot Baker (2)Once your clam cookies are glued together and dried, add the white border with the thick white icing to the top and bottom cookies. There is no wrong way to do this step. Just use a #10 piping tip and squiggle the line as you pipe. Add royal icing eyes while the icing is still wet. Add a candy bead pearl in its mouth with a touch of icing and let all of it dry completely.

Now you have cute clam cookies but wait, I want to show you more airbrushed sanding sugar.

Fun Clam Cookies with www.thebearfootbaker.comThese are cookies I made following LilaLoa’s tutorial from a guest post she did for me. You should check out her blog here. She is very talented. Anyway, here is my attempt at her tutorial. This is before airbrushing.

Airbrushed Clam Cookies thebearifootbaker.comAnd this is them after airbrushing. I hope you make some sugar cookies with sanding sugar so you can have some fun. Be careful though, it is addictive.

In the meantime, here are a few more beach themed cookies and royal icing transfers for you to enjoy.
Starfish Royal Icing Transfers
Starfish Cookies
Goldfish Royal Icing Transfers
Lobster Cookies
Jellyfish Cookies
Octopus Royal Icing Transfers

Bear hugs,

Lisa